How I Lost 100 Pounds | FOOD part 1

I am a goal oriented girl … I find it motivating to have something that I am ultimately working towards. But I have also found that huge goals that take a long time to reach tend to frustrate me. That frustration eventually leads to me giving up. That’s why on this journey I started creating “mini goals” that were obtainable within a few months. When I reach them they make me feel more successful and they motivate me to keep moving forward. That being said, I still have a few “huge” goals in place that are worthwhile of big celebrations.

Well, a few weeks ago I celebrated a huge goal … 100 pounds lost. I’ve finally fought my way through a few “set points”/plateaus and am at a point in my journey that is all new (and exciting!) to me.

Since sharing my story of losing weight (again) after gastric bypass (my story of bypass 13 years ago followed by loss and regain), I’ve had several readers ask me how I am losing weight. I’ve thought long and hard on just how to share this information… with one huge information dump or baby steps. Over the past couple of years I’ve learned that it’s not about just changing one aspect of your life, that it’s a combination of food and movement, and it has taken me several attempts and many many baby steps to get here.

So, that is how I will share … in baby steps. Small changes add up. Master each step and the next will not feel so overwhelming, right?

Let’s start from the beginning, our foundation … with food.

I’ve learned several things along the way… the biggest lesson was that if you don’t feed your body (properly) you’ll get nowhere fast. I learned that I wasn’t eating enough *gasp* and I was feeding my body the wrong foods.

There are two resources that I began with & are still the biggest help to me today:

The Whole30: I had a serious problem with carbs and sugar. Participating in a round of the Whole30 helped me kick the hold these two things had on me and the fabulous side effect was that I lost 25 pounds that month. Whether you read the book or just print out and read up on the rules and guides, the Whole30 can be a pivoting point in your journey. You can also find dozens of Whole30 support groups on Facebook for daily/instant support and recipes/food ideas. Feeding my body clean whole foods helped clear my head, it changed how I felt and helped me gain control of what I eat. It also gave me a firm foundation for the next part of my journey. You can do anything for 30 days, right? (I promise, you’ll want to keep going by the end.)

Body Confidence: The second resource that I can’t recommend enough is a book called Body Confidence by Mark MacDonald. He has a full program called Venice Nutrition, but if you have a handle on what you are eating you can get enough from the book to put the how and why into play successfully.

By starting from the ground floor and setting a proper foundation with the right foods your journey will be filled with fewer pot holes. You’ll immediately notice changes in your energy levels, your mood, your attitude towards food and the cravings for the foods that typically knock you off track will diminish dramatically.

Take your time with this step, it’s an important one. I played with this for nearly a year before moving on. I didn’t track, only tried to stay as close to the guidelines as possible while still living and I lost 50 pounds that year. I am still currently working towards my next “mini goal” of finally weighing less than 200 pounds. I haven’t seen “onederland” since 1988 but I can finally see it in the horizon!

All posts and information provided within this website is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not to be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action should be taken solely on the contents of this website. Please consult your physician or a qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health and well being or on any opinions expressed within this website. The information provided in this site is believed to be accurate based on the best judgment of the author/individual member posting. However, you as the reader must be responsible for consulting with your own health professional on matters raised within. I ,the owner of this site, will not accept responsibility for the actions or consequential results of any action taken by any reader.

Heather, the mom behind OurKidsMom, is located in western Missouri. She is 3rd grade teacher turned stay at home mom with 4 children: Ethan (9), Emma (10), Joshua (20) and Kaytlin (25). She spends her "free time" at the gym, planning her next travel adventure, blogging, browsing Pinterest for her next craft and reviewing great products for her family and home.

Be sure to check out all posts by Heather and subscribe via RSS or EMAIL so you don't miss a thing!

Comments

You are most welcome Lissa! Keep your eyes peeled, I’m going to try to continue this post once a week. This is the best start anyone can give themselves… without the nutrition you’ll be spinning your wheels at the gym. Good luck! <3

Congratulations on your weight loss! I have lost 75 pounds, the old fashioned way just eating healthy and exercising. I have eliminated sugar and carbs from my diet and only eat high protein meat, vegetables and some daily items and fruits. It keeps me full so I have no desire to cheat.

Thank you for sharing your story. I know it is not easy. I am wanting to lose 100 pounds myself and I need to do exactly what you said-take it one day at a time and start small. I am going to check out the Whole 30 and see what it has to offer.

You are most welcome Leigh! I still have about 40 more to go (I think… ultimate goal is strong and healthy ;). If you have any questions feel free to reach out (email is in the sidebar) . There are also dozens of Whole30 support groups on Facebook. The one I joined was SUPER helpful!

You look amazing!! Thank you so much for sharing the links to the Whole30 downloads. I lost a ton of weight the last 2 years but that first year was really rough because I didnt know anything about what food to eat, just what NOT to eat. which was basically everything. I starved myself on diets for decades. So sad to look back on that now, BUT I am in the best shape of my life now, so no regrets, just moving forward. I wish I could tell you how much I lost, but my husband saw how obsessed I was with the numbers and he tossed my scales. Numbers really do not define us. Thanks again for the links.